This is an eventual SasukexSakura. Rated M for descriptions of violence and language. Very little graphic sexual content.

The story is accurate up to chapter 238 of the manga and contains spoilers.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Never have, never will.

OOO

Sasuke awoke.

Then he vomited. Right there on the floor.

As a headache seized him, he tried to remember the events of the previous night. There was Rudy Fallenhaust, a drinking contest... after that, he could remember no more. His dreams had pushed all those memories back.

Oh, God. Now I remember why I don't drink. Sasuke grimaced as the bitter aftertaste of puke warmed his mouth. His tongue felt useless, though he did not know what he would be using his tongue for. Certainly not for talking.

Something behind him jumped up, and soon, he heard the irritating voice of the little boy.

"Ew! Mommy, mommy, look! Mr. Uchiha threw up! EW!"

Sakura sighed. She knew this would happen. Sasuke was squinting at the dim light in the room, and Sakura walked over to him. "You're nauseous and have a headache." It wasn't a question. "Congratulations, Sasuke. You have a hangover."

The Uchiha groaned in reply.

Sakura shook her head at him. "Stay here with Mr. Uchiha, Kenji."

"Why, Mommy, why?" Kenji asked, cocking his head to the side.

Because I'm currently formulating a plan for us to escape through this town successfully, Sakura thought bitterly. "I'm going to get some painkillers for Mr. Uchiha. Goodness knows he needs them." Kenji pouted.

"I want to come, too!" he whined. Sakura denied his request.

"Sweetheart, stay here and clean up that...mess," she finished, eyeing the chunks of partially digested food. Kenji's nose crinkled.

"But...but...but Mommy!" he protested, but Sakura would have none of it.

"No buts, Kenji. Now give me a kiss." A grumpy Kenji bounced off his bed and quickly pecked Sakura on the cheek. Smiling, Sakura placed a tender kiss on his hairline, pushing his bangs back.

"Be careful, Mommy," Kenji warned. "There are bad men out there." Sakura laughed.

"Who would hurt little, old me?" she teased, ruffling his dark locks. "I'll be back soon, baby. Take care of Mr. Uchiha."

"Okay," he grumbled, crossing his arms.

Sakura was smiling all the while she was making her way out of the room, but once she was out, she couldn't help but begin to worry. Would Kenji and Sasuke really be okay by themselves? Sure, Kenji was around Genin level, but he would be no match for some Jounin that might decide to...kill him. Sakura let out a worried squeak. Sasuke was there, too, but he was in no condition to be fighting.

Sakura knew he would anyway, and due to his foul mood, he'd probably kill anyone who entered the room besides the two he was holding captive. Sakura shuddered a little.

Sakura started to memorize the paths of the town, all the possible entrances and exits. All possible hiding places.

She quickly walked down to a nearby store, bumping into a few, smelly men. Sakura successfully hid her disgust when two teenagers started hooting and hollering at her.

The moment she lost her cool was because of that disgusting man who decided that it was necessary to grab her ass.

Within a second, she had his arm pushing against his back painfully. "Don't you dare think that I am some whore," she hissed at the whimpering man, eventually deciding to release him from the pain he was in.

She ignored all the other pedestrians' stares.

Entering the gritty shop, Sakura realized that there really weren't any people in here. Not many could afford such...delicacies here. It was a very poor town, after all. She was reminded of that when she saw the hooker at the corner, no older than fourteen. Her heart nearly burst at the sight of it.

Going directly to the medicine, she found a weak aspirin to take away just enough of the pain, but not all of it. Not that Sasuke would know the different strengths between aspirins. The bottle cost one thousand yen.

The old grouch at the counter received her with dollar signs practically gleaming in his eyes. "Two thousand yen," he croaked, and Sakura shot him a hostile look.

"The bottle says a thousand," she informed him. He snorted.

"Well, the price has gone up, young lady. Pay up." Sakura frowned, digging in her pocket for her wallet. "Say, is the color natural?"

Her head snapped up. "Excuse me?" she stated flatly.

"Your hair. Is it natural?" She gave him a curt nod. "I'll lower the price to one thousand yen if you give me one lock of your hair." Sakura's eyes widened.

"Just one, that's all?" she asked incredulously. The man nodded. Sakura sighed and pulled out a kunai. She pressed the edge against one, thick piece of hair, and she felt each strand come off.

Sakura distinctly remembered the last time she had to do this, but this time she wasn't required to cut it all off. She did anyway.

The greed intensified in the old man's eyes. "Thank you!" He practically jumped in delight. "Forget about paying; you can leave now!" Sakura bowed politely then headed back to her room. When she entered, Kenji commented on her hair, asking what happened to it and such. She just snorted at his shocked face when she told him what happened. She looked in to the bathroom.

Sasuke was bent over at the toilet with all the lights off.

Sakura had to try so hard not to laugh. She strolled over to him, leaning over so he would be able to hear her.

"I got the aspirin," she whispered. The Uchiha grunted, and Sakura rolled her eyes. What a baby.

After thirty minutes of holding back Sasuke's bangs while he emptied his stomach, Sakura watched his body become limp. She filled a cup with water and gave him two aspirin. He took it in a rush, gulping down the pills and water like a parched man who had just found an oasis.

Sakura's lips turned downward. She just couldn't help but feel sorry for him, even though she knew it was wrong. Her heart was beating a little faster, and her stomach clenched in sympathy.

Kenji ran into the bathroom and attached himself to Sakura's hip. "Mommy!" he gasped. "Someone's at the door, someone's at the door!"

All senses went on alert. Sakura narrowed her eyes. She could sense it, a powerful chakra. And he was just standing at the door. There were no shuffling sounds, nothing. He was waiting for them to come out, so he could attack. This totally screws up my escape plans, she thought angrily.

She looked at the shower. She shushed her son by putting one finger to her lips. She ushered him into the facility. "Don't make a sound," she mouthed, and Kenji nodded, fright apparent on his face. She smiled nervously at him before brushing her lips over his forehead. Sakura knelt down to Sasuke's level.

"I need you to get the door," she said softly. He glared at her.

"Are you fucking kidding?" he snarled. "Like this?"

"Sakura's eyes were wide, fearing for her son. "Please. " A silent battle commenced. Sakura no longer felt intimidated by his glares so it was easier to keep eye contact with him.

"Fine," he hissed, getting up clumsily. He was more than a little shocked when Sakura pulled him back down.

"Wait," she gasped, putting her callused fingers to his head. "Your headache. Let me heal it."

"Wha-" Sasuke felt warm chakra invading him. He had to resist the urge to force the foreign substance out. Sakura hushed him as he squeezed his eyes shut and his breathing became labored.

Sakura realized this was a rather vulnerable situation for the man, and she tried to soothe him in the best way she could at the moment. She slapped herself mentally for not being able to uncaring.

Eventually, Sasuke's breathing became evened out, and his eyes opened slowly. The pain was now just a dull aching. He gave the pink-haired woman a brief glance before stepping soundlessly to the door. It was true; there was a chakra behind that door. It was extremely strong. Sasuke pulled out his blade, holding it at the ready. He whipped the door open.

At that moment, the chakra vanished.

Sasuke gritted his teeth in anger. If there had been a shinobi there, he would have been somewhat happy. He could finally lash out at someone.

If he lashed out at the small family of two, it would ruin everything.

He grunted angrily and slammed the door shut. He returned to the bathroom.

"They escaped," he said roughly.

Then he noticed something off kilter. Sakura had done something to alter herself. Something, somehow...

His eyes roamed her body until they rested on her currently untidy locks.

"Your hair," he commented softly.

Sakura touched it absentmindedly. "Oh, um, yes. I cut it to pay for the aspirin. The old man wanted it. It's not a big deal. I cut it a lot so it grows back fast." Sasuke calculated how short it was. If one saw the back of Sakura's head, they would most definitely think she was male. Of course, if they had seen her from the front, they would be able to see her soft, feminine features. From her "large" forehead to her small feet.

"Hn," he grunted, missing the way Sakura had rolled her eyes at him. He glanced at the clock. "We are going to start moving," he demanded. Sakura nodded and helped Kenji out of the shower. The mother and child quickly gathered their things and were ready to leave.

Sasuke did not miss how Kenji grabbed clung to Sakura's hand, as if hanging on for dear life. The little boy was no doubt scared of the intense chakra they had felt moments earlier. Even Sasuke had felt a bit suffocated.

They headed out.

After ten minutes, they had paid their hotel fee and exited the facility. They walked, Sasuke leading the way, for quite a bit of time before they reached the exit.

Once they reached it, Sakura stopped. She unconsciously tightened her grip on Kenji, wanting to keep him close and never let go.

"Sasuke."

"Mm."

"IF we do get to Oto, what's going to happen to Kenji?"

Sasuke froze in his tracks. He had honestly never thought of that. Scratch that; he hadn't even thought of what would happen to Sakura. Despite his inner turmoil, he shrugged.

"At best, Orochimaru will allow you to keep Kenji around. At worst..." Sasuke gulped silently. "Kenji will get killed."

Sakura felt Kenji fly to her leg, hanging on to it for dear life. The poor boy was trembling, and for the first time, crying. It came out in loud wails, and her shorts were getting soaked. Sakura didn't care, though. "I DON'T WANNA DIE!" Kenji screamed. She felt tears sting at her eyes, but she couldn't let them fall when her son needed her the most. She needed to be the strong one.

Sakura crouched down to her son's eye level. Kenji threw his arms around his mother's neck and sobbed into her shoulder. Rubbing soothing circles on his back, she whispered in his ear, sweet nothings that really had no long term effect. However, it was good enough for now for his tears soon subsided.

Sasuke watched awkwardly. He wished that there was something he could do to comfort the boy, but there really was nothing he could think of. He wasn't the boy's father; he really had no relation to the boy.

"Let's get going," Sakura said softly. Sasuke just gave her an affirmative shake of the head.

They did not talk for the rest of the day. Sakura simply stared at the dying grass surrounding the path while Sasuke's gaze was directed forward. Once Kenji was too tired to move anymore, Sakura took him up on her back. Feeling his steady breathy on her neck comforted her. It reminded her that he was still here with, still being her little, baby boy.

She wondered how long it would last.

They eventually had to stop, and Sasuke made camp quickly.

Lying across from each other, they both put up the pretense of being asleep, but both knew that the other wasn't. When Sakura cracked an eye open, she met Sasuke's empty, black eyes. Sakura pulled her son closer to her protectively, as if there was a monster lying in front of them that was after his life.

She had never felt so hopeless.

OOO

Thanks for reading!

So...what do you think? ;)

*Thanks to all who reviewed, alerted, or faved. It means a lot to me. Let's try and make it past the two hundred line this time!

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A'ight. Peace.